Marvel Just Forgot Endgame’s Rules of Time Travel (& Broke Them for a Second Time)

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The Marvel Universe’s narrative is quite straightforward during its initial three phases, with an occasional appearance of powerful gems capable of altering reality and creating enormous rifts in space-time. Yet, these extraordinary events are just part of the story. What truly matters is that when faced with adversity, the heroes always stand tall and save innocent lives from harm, regardless of the villain’s destructive power. Regrettably, Thanos proves to be an exceptionally formidable foe for Earth’s mightiest superheroes, leading them to suffer defeat in the epic battle depicted in “Avengers: Infinity War.” Consequently, they spend the following five years grappling with sorrow as half of existence perishes. However, they eventually discover that there’s a chance for redemption if they make the right moves.

Once Scott Lang steps out of the Quantum Realm in “Avengers: Endgame,” it introduces the concept of multiverse manipulation into the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). Essentially, each time the heroes alter something by traveling back in time, they create a new alternate timeline. However, the MCU seems to have a habit of bending and redefining its own rules regarding time travel, a practice that has attracted some criticism, even after their initial attempt at it.

Loki Season 2 Has Its Own Time Travel Rules

Following a disastrous encounter with He Who Remains, Loki finds himself back at the Time Variance Authority during his second season solo run. However, things have changed – Mobius and his companions fail to recognize him. Thanks to his ability to time-slip, or move unpredictably between the present, past, and future, Loki manages to avoid being sent to the Void. In search of answers, he locates an expert on this phenomenon, Ouroboros (or OB), who initiates a potential solution in the past following their conversation with Loki. Upon Loki’s return to the present, OB is prepared to delve deeper into the problem; yet, the sequence of events should not unfold as such.

According to the rules established in the movie “Endgame”, conversations between Loki and OB in the past should create a distinct timeline apart from the one he’s familiar with. However, Marvel Studios has provided an explanation that the way time functions is different within the Time Variance Authority (TVA), implying that these rules don’t apply inside their headquarters. This exemption benefits Loki as he resolves his time-jumping problem and willingly gives up his freedom to preserve the multiverse when a Kang variant, Victor Timely, fails to do so. Interestingly, the upcoming MCU project, “Eyes of Wakanda”, doesn’t take place within the TVA, yet it continues to manipulate time travel in an unconventional manner.

Eyes of Wakanda Sends a Black Panther Back in Time

As a die-hard Marvel fan, I’m thrilled about Marvel Studios’ upcoming project, “Eyes of Wakanda“, an anthology series focusing on War Dogs across the MCU timeline. Their mission? Tracking down vibranium artifacts scattered around the world. However, in Episode 4, “The Last Panther,” Kuda and Prince Tafari face unique challenges when they encounter a Black Panther from five centuries ahead! She insists that the only way to save her present Wakanda is by returning the axe they’ve just found to its original location. This would allow Killmonger to take it, setting off the events of “Black Panther” that culminate in King T’Challa ultimately opening up Wakanda to the world. At first, the War Dogs are skeptical, but the future queen shows them chilling glimpses from her time, where the Horde leaves a trail of destruction behind it.

Stricken by what they’ve witnessed, Tafari and Kuda decide to retrieve the axe, yet their new companion can’t accompany them as the device that sent her back in time compels her to return home. Luckily, things seem to turn out well for her since the War Dogs come back to Wakanda without the artifact they were seeking. Nevertheless, there remains a question about whether the Black Panther’s journey through time has any beneficial impact. While her actions might save the world she visited, her own fate still hangs in peril because she cannot alter the past. Eyes of Wakanda does not depict the future Wakanda following Tafari and Kuda’s mission, leading some to speculate that this is intentional, but it may be necessary for the Marvel Cinematic Universe to clarify its time travel regulations since they can be confusing.

Eyes of Wakanda is streaming on Disney+.

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2025-08-01 21:45